Mikal Bridges vs Naz Reid: who to start in Week 1
Mikal Bridges plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Naz Reid 3. For that week alone, start Naz Reid: 88.7 projected fantasy points to 85.8 for Mikal Bridges. Over the season, Naz Reid leads in points leagues (29.6 fantasy points a game to 28.6) and Mikal Bridges in 9-cat leagues (45th against 73rd). The two go close together on our board, which is our own ranking order from 2025-26 and 2026-27 box scores, not ADP.
Updated Oct 22, 9:54 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
Parlae may earn a commission from price links.
- Points leagues
- #101
- 28.6 FP/G, slot 9.05, $9
- 9-cat leagues
- #45
- +0.6 z, slot 4.09, $19
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
- Points leagues
- #88
- 29.6 FP/G, slot 8.04, $11
- 9-cat leagues
- #73
- -0.6 z, slot 7.01, $12
The pick in points leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Naz Reid. 29.6 fantasy points per game against 28.6, 88th on our board to 101st.
9-cat leagues: Mikal Bridges instead, +0.6 in summed z-scores against -0.6 (45th to 73rd), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Mikal Bridges is ahead in 5 (AST, STL, FG%, FT% and TO) and Naz Reid in 3 (REB, BLK and 3PM).
Per 36 minutes, Naz Reid produces more: 40.2 fantasy points to 31.4, on 26.5 minutes a night against 32.8. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Mikal Bridges plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Naz Reid 3. For that week alone, start Naz Reid: 88.7 projected fantasy points to 85.8 for Mikal Bridges.
Slots are where our board's order lands in a 12-team snake draft (round.pick), and dollars are auction value over replacement for 12 teams with $200 each. Neither is ADP: no free draft-position feed lets us republish it.
Advertisement
Per game, side by side
| Per game | Mikal Bridges | Naz Reid |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 28.6 | 29.6 |
| Minutes | 32.8 | 26.5 |
| PointsPTS | 13.8 | 14.0 |
| ReboundsREB | 3.8 | 6.5 |
| AssistsAST | 3.5 | 2.5 |
| StealsSTL | 1.2 | 0.9 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.8 | 0.9 |
| Threes3PM | 1.8 | 2.2 |
| Field goal %FG% | 48.0% | 45.2% |
| Free throw %FT% | 82.7% | 70.2% |
| TurnoversTO | 0.9 | 1.6 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 82 | 77 |
Bold is the better number. The line blends 2025-26 with 2026-27 games as they are played, the same numbers the rankings use.
Per 36 minutes
| Per 36 | Mikal Bridges | Naz Reid |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 31.4 | 40.2 |
| Points | 15.1 | 19.0 |
| Rebounds | 4.1 | 8.8 |
| Assists | 3.9 | 3.4 |
| Steals | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| Blocks | 0.8 | 1.3 |
| Threes | 2.0 | 3.0 |
| Turnovers | 1.0 | 2.2 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
Advertisement
9-category z-scores
| Category | Mikal Bridges | Naz Reid |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -0.5 | -0.4 |
| ReboundsREB | -0.9 | +0.3 |
| AssistsAST | -0.1 | -0.6 |
| StealsSTL | +0.6 | -0.3 |
| BlocksBLK | +0.2 | +0.6 |
| Threes3PM | +0.2 | +0.6 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.1 | -0.7 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.1 | -0.5 |
| TurnoversTO | +1.2 | +0.3 |
| Total | +0.6 | -0.6 |
Each number is standard deviations above or below the top 156 players (a 12-team league's rosters). Field goal and free throw percentage are weighted by attempts, and turnovers count against.
If you punt a category
No punt changes the answer: Mikal Bridges stays ahead whichever category you give up.
| Punt | Mikal Bridges | Naz Reid |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | +1.0 (#36) | -0.2 (#67) |
| REB | +1.5 (#29) | -1.0 (#92) |
| AST | +0.5 (#42) | -0.1 (#59) |
| STL | -0.1 (#64) | -0.4 (#72) |
| BLK | +0.4 (#51) | -1.3 (#103) |
| 3PM | +0.3 (#53) | -1.3 (#102) |
| FG% | +0.7 (#44) | -0.0 (#60) |
| FT% | +0.4 (#51) | -0.2 (#67) |
| TO | -0.6 (#72) | -1.0 (#83) |
Value is the sum of the other eight z-scores, recomputed with the punted category left out of the pool that sets them; the rank is among all 391 ranked players.
Week 1 (Oct 19-25)
- Mikal Bridges: 3 games (Tue PHI, Fri @BOS, Sun ORL).
- Naz Reid: 3 games (Wed @BKN, Fri ATL, Sat MIA), 1 back-to-back.
Recent games
- Mikal Bridges: 12.1 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 28.6 on the board.
- Naz Reid: 42.7 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 29.6 on the board.
Advertisement
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Mikal Bridges playing tonight? · Is Naz Reid playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Naz Reid
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Mikal Bridges or Naz Reid?
Points leagues: Naz Reid. 29.6 fantasy points per game against 28.6, 88th on our board to 101st. 9-cat leagues: Mikal Bridges instead, +0.6 in summed z-scores against -0.6 (45th to 73rd), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Mikal Bridges or Naz Reid?
Category by category, Mikal Bridges is ahead in 5 (AST, STL, FG%, FT% and TO) and Naz Reid in 3 (REB, BLK and 3PM).
Who should I start in Week 1, Mikal Bridges or Naz Reid?
Mikal Bridges plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Naz Reid 3. For that week alone, start Naz Reid: 88.7 projected fantasy points to 85.8 for Mikal Bridges.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 22, 2026 at 9:54 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number